WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Episode 10 of Ikebukuro West Gate Park, "Beastly Reunion," now streaming on Funimation.
An eye for an eye: The law of retaliation that states that the person who hurt another should suffer the same amount. But what happens when the person who caused the harm felt cornered and truly regrets the choice he made? Makoto encounters such a case in Episode 1o of Ikebukuro West Gate Park when a young woman seeks him out to find the man who shattered her brother's kneecap, but rather than retaliate in the same way, he ends up turning the other cheek.
Chihiro's Vengeance Mission For Her Brother
Chihiro Hayama, who works at a shop in West Gate, asks Makoto to smash a young man's leg. A year ago, her brother, Tsukasa, was mugged and had his kneecap crushed. He can't walk around without a cane nor stand for more than three hours, crushing his dreams of owning a restaurant. Eiji Otakawa, who Chihiro dubs "the beast," was a minor at the time and was only in juvie for seven months, but is now out. Makoto warns Chihiro that if she goes through with her plan, she won't be any better than Eiji and will become a "beast" as well. But Chihiro doesn't listen.
After tailing him, they discover that the 18-year-old was being extorted by his classmates and told to bring in any amount of money the day after he attacked Chihiro's brother. If he didn't, he might be the one beaten up. Though Eiji was released from juvie, he wasn't released from the torment of his classmates.
Tsukasa Sees the 'Beast'
Makoto suggests meeting Tsukasa as her 'boyfriend'. Tsukasa admits that he thought of exacting revenge, too, but decided against it. In the end, he says that if he met Eiji and knew the kind of person he was, then he might not think of him as a beast anymore. Instead, he wants to do move past his hatred. Deciding that this is the time, Makoto makes Eiji an offer: he can become a G-Boy and be protected, but only if he meets with his client. Eiji agrees.
Tsukasa & Eiji's Heartfelt Meeting
Makoto, Chihiro and Tsukasa meet at the restaurant with Takashi and a few G-Boys waiting with them. As soon as he walks in, Eiji's face turns into an expression of shame and guilt, and he confesses that after his mother died when he was 12, all he had left was his father. Money was the only thing that would stop the bullying in school.
After Eiji realizes the impact of his actions, he apologizes to Tsukasa, promising to get a job and make up for the harm he caused. Takashi, in his usual deadpan way, tells Eiji that nobody is going to feel sorry for him and what he did to Tsukasa isn't ever going to disappear. However, if he takes responsibility for what he did, he can focus on what he should do now. Tsukasa confesses that he thought Eiji was a beast too, but after listening to him, he realizes that he's a human, just like him. More importantly, he chooses to forgive him. After, all, if he doesn't, he'll never be able to move forward in his life.
The episode's focus on restorative justice is a message of hope for reconciliation over violence. Makoto has been doing his utmost to use more peaceful means to ensure that Ikebukuro remains a safe haven for everyone but it's only in this episode that his troubleshooting talent truly shines. By making two different sides meet and communicate, Makoto's making an argument that violence isn't needed to get people what they ultimately need.
Oftentimes, violence begets violence and it's a cycle that will only end up hurting both sides. Eiji and Tsukasa working together on the Hayama's new food truck foster much-needed healing for both sides. But with the end credits showing the Red Angels and G-Boys battling it out in an alleyway, this episode may just be the calm before the storm.
